TEST RESULTS

FOR PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS Detergency | Active ingredients | Ash built-up | Active alkalinity | Total phosphates | STPP |

Moisture | Lather

Detergency

Detergency is the ability to clean or remove soil, generally associated with the action of a cleaning agent such as soap, detergent, or alkaline salt. As per Indian Standard, the detergency percentage specified for detergent powders is: 65 per cent minimum for Grade 1, 55 per cent for Grade 2, and 45 per cent for Grade 3. None of the brands met the specified requirement for

Grade 1. The detergency percentage ranged from 57.68%

(Ariel Matic) to a low of 39.15% (Uni Wash).

Active ingredients

Detergents have certain ingredients (known as ‘active ingredients’) that are responsible for ensuring their cleaning performance. The national standards have specified different minimum active ingredient levels for the three grades of detergents: 19 per cent for Grade 1, 16 per cent for Grade 2, and 10 per cent for Grade 3. None of the brands claimed the relevant grade as

specified in Indian Standard. The brands that met the minimum requirement for Grade 1 active ingredients were: Henko Stain Champion (27.5 per cent), Surf Excel Matic (23.7 per cent), Surf Excel Quick Wash (23 per cent) and Rin (23.2 per cent), Uni Wash (22.3 per cent) and Henko Matic (20 per cent). Ariel Matic (17.9 per cent) did not meet the minimum requirement for Grade 1 (19%). Tide Plus (14.2 per cent), if examined as per Grade 2 (16 per cent), did not match up to the level specified for active ingredients. In the lowest price category, Nirma was found to have the lowest levels of active ingredients at 7.8 per cent.

Ash built-up

This test determines the built-up of ash on a fabric. The Indian Standard has set the requirement as: 1 per cent maximum for Grade 1, 5 per cent for Grade 2, and 10 per cent for Grade 3.